Buoyant bathing brassiere



Aug. 4, 1959 L. E. LERNER BUOYANT BATHING BRASSIEIRE Filed July 21, 1958z E Z. i 0 Z United States Patent f 2,897,821 BUOYANT BATHING BRASSIERELovie E. Lerner, Edwardsburg, Mich.

Application July 21, 1958, Serial No. 749,966

8 Claims. c1. 128-479) This invention relates to improvements in buoyantbathing brassieres, and more particularly to brassieres which may beworn by water skiers and bathers to render them buoyant and to protectthem against submersion in water even when in an unconscious state.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a 2,897,821 PatentedAug. 4, 1959 formed of synthetic resin, such as a vinyl type material,

and each has a cellular internal structure with its cells separated andsealed from each other so as to provide uniformly dispersednon-communicating voids. The material is light in weight, unicellular,buoyant, flexible in any selected direction, but resistant tosimultaneous flexing in brassiere of this character which is simple inconstruction,

inexpensive, and is not objectionable when worn from the standpoint ofits size or prominence.

A further object is to provide a brassiere of this character which canbe formed from a plurality of sheets of buoyant unicellular flexiblesheet material in an inexpensive manner to provide an attractiveappearance.

A further object is to provide a brassiere of this character whichpermits a bather to dive and yet possess adequate buoyancy to hold abather face up in the water and which fits upon the bather in a mannerto insure against displacement thereof during diving.

A further object is to provide a brassiere of this character with afiller of buoyant sheet material of unicellular character normallyresisting bending or flexing thereof simultaneously in two or moredirections, which is constructed in a simple manner to provide cupportions and a restricted intervening portion having an attractiveappearance.

, Dther objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing: a

Fig. 1 is a view of the brassiere in front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view of the brassiere in rear elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but illustratinga modified construction;

1 Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is aplan "view of a filler blank employed in the device; a

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a second filler blank used in the device; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary face view illustrating the formation of a cupportion in the end part of a blank illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

. Referring to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the numeral 10 designates the front or body portion of abrassiere having securing means extending across the back of the wearer.In the form shown, bands 12 formed of fabric or elasticized fabric orany other suitable material, and of a length adapted to overlap whenworn, are secured to opposite ends of body 10. Suitable fasteners, suchas snap fasten ers 14, are carried by the bands 12 and are adapted to beseparably connected for the purpose of defining a body encircling unitwhich can be donned and removed easily and quickly. In the preferredform, some body suspension support is provided, such as a pair ofshoulder straps 16, each of which is connected at one end 18 to a band12 at one side of the garment and is suitably connected at more than onedirection in its sheet form and tends to normally retain its shape. Onetype of such material is as Ensolite, being manufactured presently byUnited States Rubber Company in sheets of difierent thicknesses. Iprefer to use this material in sheets of thicknesses of from one-eighthinch or less to three-fourths inch or more. The blanks 24 and 26 areboth characterized by a generally elongated shape with its opposite endportions symmetrical. The longitudinal central portion 28 of each sheetis of reduced width compared to enlarged end portions 30. The enlargedend portions are of modi fied ov'al shape, having rounded top end andbottom contours or'edges, with the bottom edges being interrupted bycentral V-shaped cuts 32 extending substantially centrally in eachportion 30 with the axes or center line of each cut being substantiallyparallel to the center line of the other cut inthe opposite end portionof the blank. While the preferred shape of the blanks is substantiallyas illustrated in-Figs. 6 and .7 itwill he understood that variationsfrom the specific shape shown can be made, depending upon the desiredconfiguration of the brassiere in its finished form. It will also beobserved that, where two or more fillers are employed, such as fillers24 and 26, the same will be of different sizes and may be of differentthicknesses, although of substantially the same general shape oroutline, and, further, it will be observed that the spacing between thecuts 32 in the two blanks will be substantially equal. Where multipleblanks are provided, they will be superimposed upon each other with thenotches or cuts 32 substantially in register with one another, as at theinner ends of theV-shape cuts 32.

The buoyant filler has its ends formed to cup shape by drawing togetherthe edges of the cuts 32 and maintaining the end portions in thiscup-forming shape by any means found suitable. Thus the edges of thecuts 32 may be 'abutted and cemented or otherwise bonded together,

or they may be held in abutting relation by stitching or sewing thereofthe adjacent filler parts to one another, or by sewing the adjacentfiller parts to fabric, such as v liner members backing and confiningsuch fillers. Fig.

8 illustrates the conformation of an end portion of a filler blank afterthe cup has been formed from the flat sheet thereof by anchoring theedges at the cut 32 into engagement. 7

The bouyant filler is confined within a sheath formed of fabric or anyother suitable sheet material such as an elasticized cloth, andincluding an inner or liner member 36 and an outer or cover member 38.The sheet members 36 and 38 are marginally stitched together at 40 andmay vhave suitable tucks or darts formed therein;

as at 42, for decorative purposes. Also, for decorative purposes, a.folded portion or outlining band or flap portion 44 ofmaterial may bestitched across the top and extend forwardly outwardly over the topportion of the outer, sheath part 38, ormay extend continuously aroundthe margin of the body, in which case the inner margin of the flap part44 will preferably be formed of elasticized material to insure that itwill lie flat against the body 10. Flap part 44 is useful to camouflagethe thickness of the brassiere, and also to conceal the laminercharacter of the filler.

The buoy-ant filler parts are confined within the sheath 36, 38, and maybe secured thereto in any suitable manner, if desired. Thus theinnermost or rearmost filler V lamination may stitched to the inner orrear sheet 36, or may be bonded to the inner sheet. Where multiplelayers of the buoyant filler material are used, they may be securedtogether in proper centered registering relation by bonding, adhenng,stitching, stapling, or any other suitable securing means. Also, inorder to taper the overall contour of the unit, one or more of themultiple buoyant filler laminations may be skived or doubled at itsedges. The arrangement of the filler laminations may vary as desired bythe manufacturer for the purpose of securing different appearances.Thus, in Fig. 3 a comparatively small lamination 26 is positionedoutermost adjacent the outer sheath 38, and the comparatively largelamination 24 is positioned innermost in engagement with the innersheath part 36. However, this position is not essential, and a reversearrangement may be made, as illustrated in Fig. 4, with the largelamination 24 outermost and the small lamination 26 innermost. In theFig. 4 construction, observe that the lapping marginal portions 25 ofthe large blank 24 are infolded around the edges of the small blank 26at the cup portion.

In order to facilitate the cup formation at the ends of the body toproduce an attractive appearance and to accommodate conformation of theoutline of the body 10 to the body of the wearer at the central portionthereof, and, further, to impart an attractive appearance to thegarment, a fabric tie or loop member 50 may encircle the central part ofthe body. In one form, the loop 50 may be of a size to flex the fillersto substantially C-shape in cross-section, as illustrated in Fig. 5, atthe restricted parts 28. The member 50 is here shown as a tie havingfree end portions 52 projecting from a knot portion 54, but it will beunderstood that such an arrangement is not necessary and that the member50 may constitute any loop preferably formed of flexible material whichis capable of holding the central portions 28 in the desiredconfiguration.

Fhe brassiere is easily donned and removed and is held in placeeffectively by shoulder straps 16 and the back band 12. The garment fitsthe wearer snugly, and this fit may be facilitated by connection of theends of an elastic band 52 to the lower margins of the opposite cupportion below the tie 50. The garment will permit full freedom of thewearer when swimming, water skiing and engaging in other activities.Likewise, the garment will permit diving without danger of displacement.The cup portions have a suction-like adherence which resistsdisplacement when worn.

Sufficient buoyant material can be incorporated in the' garment torender buoyant even those persons known as sinkers, that is, persons nothaving the usual amount of body buoyancy. The garment is so positionedthat even if a wearer should be rendered unconscious incident to a fallin skiing, or the like, the body of the wearer will assume a position inthe water with the face uppermost to protect against drowining. In thisconnection it will be observed that the brassiere will be worn about theupper part of the body and, in the case of an unconscious wearer, theunbalanced lower portion of the body will tend to rotate the body in thewater about the buoyant brassiere so as to turn the body face uppermosteven if an unconscious wearer strikes the water face down. 7 While thegarment has been illustrated as an individual garment, it may be a partof a complete bathing suit by connecting a pair of swimming trunks atthe lower front portion thereof.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed herein, it will be understood that lchanges in constructionmay be made within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a back strap extending betweenopposite ends of said body when worn, said filler constituting anelongated normally flat unicellular sheet of substantially uniformthickness having a central portion of reduced width and similar endportions having rounded bottom edges, each filler end portion having asubstantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extending substantiallyto the center thereof and interrupting the rounded bottom edge thereof,and means holding the confronting edges of said notches in engagement,whereby each filler end portion assumes concave-convex shape.

2. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to opposite ends of said body, saidfiller constitut'- ing an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reducedwidth and similar substantially oval end portions, each filler endportion having a substantially V-shaped notch formed therein andextending substantially to the center thereof, and means holding theconfronting edges of said notches in engagement, whereby each filler endportion assumes concavo-convex shape, said notches being formed in thelower central portions of said filler end portions.

3. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to opposite ends of said body, saidfiller constituting an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reducedwidth and similar enlarged end portions, each filler end portion havinga substantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extendingsubstantially to the center thereof, and means holding the confrontingedges of said notches in engagement, whereby each filler end portionassumes concave-convex shape, and a loop encircling the reduced widthcentral portion of said body and of a circumferential dimension lessthan the perimetral dimension of the central portion of said body whenflat, whereby said central portion is of C-shape in crosssection.

4. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to opposite ends of said body, saidfiller constituting an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reducedwidth and similar end portions, each filler end portion having asubstantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extending substantiallyto the center thereof, means holding the confronting edges of saidnotches in engagement, whereby each filler end portion assumesconcave-convex shape, and means for holding the central portion of saidbody in bent form in crosssection with its edges projecting inwardly'when worn.

5. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to opposite ends of said body, saidfiller constituting an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reduced'width and similar end portions, each filler end portion having asubstantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extending substantiallyto the center thereof, and means holding the confronting edges of saidnotches in engagement, whereby each filler end portion assumesconcave-convex shape, said filler comprising a plurality of laminationsof difierent sizes superimposed in centered relation and having similarnotches spaced similarly and substantially in register.

6. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to opposite ends of said body, saidfiller constituting an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reducedwidth and similar end portions, each filler end portion having asubstantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extending substantiallyto the center thereof, and means holding the confronting edges of saidnotches in engagement, whereby each filler end portion assumesconcavo-convex shape, said filler comprising a plurality of laminationsof different areas and similar shapes having similar notches in eachwhich are similarly spaced, said laminations being adhered in faceengagement in substantially centered relation.

7. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to opposite ends of said body, saidfiller constituting an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reducedwidth and similar end portions, each filler end portion having asubstantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extending substantiallyto the center thereof, and means holding the confronting edges of saidnotches in engagement, whereby each filler end portion assumes 6concavo-convex shape, said sheath including a flap portion extendinglongitudinally along at least a part of the margin of said body and sewnto the outer part of the sheath at its rear margin, the front edge ofsaid flap portion being free of said body.

'8. A buoyant bathing brassiere comprising a body portion, including abuoyant filler and a confining sheath, a two-part back strap havingseparable fasteners and secured to oppositte ends of said body, saidfiller constituting an elongated normally flat unicellular sheet ofsubstantially uniform thickness having a central portion of reducedWidth and similar end portions, each filler end portion having asubstantially V-shaped notch formed therein and extending substantiallyto the center thereof, means holding the confronting edges of saidnotches in engagement, whereby each filler end portion assumes concavoconvex shape, means for holding the central part of said body flexed insubstantially C-shape with its upper and lower edges projectingrearwardly, and a strap connecting lower marginal portions of said bodyadjacent to and below the level of said central body portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,429,308 Cooper Oct. 21, 1947 2,440,466 Freedman Apr. 27, 19482,507,745 Wilkenfeld et al. May 16, 1950 2,727,278 Thompson Dec. 20,1955

